What do 49ers quarterback Alex Smith, actor Ray Romano, and NBA hall of famer Charles Barkley all have in common? They will all be in Tahoe this week for the 23rd annual American Century Golf Championship.

The Tahoe region has long been known for its world-class golf courses with sweeping views of Lake Tahoe and the pristine Sierra landscape. The region has also been a playground for the rich and famous since the 1800’s. So what could be better than an event that combines the two? This star-studded golf tournament will have visitors and locals alike enjoying celeb sightings all week long.

My husband is psyched to see Michael Jordan while I’m going to stake out hole #17 to catch a glimpse of actor/comedian Kevin Nealon. Whether you idolize professional athletes or go gaga for Hollywood actors, this tournament is chalked full of the biggest names in sports and showbiz. You can check out the full list of players to find your favorite of more than 80 sports and entertainment luminaries.

Here are the details so you can plan ahead to maximize your star-gazing time:

But if celebrity stalking isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy an amazing week of golf South Lake style. Here are a few ways to watch the tournament without battling the starry-eyed crowd:

* Watch the tournament from the water – Nothing beats hanging out on the beautiful sapphire waters of Lake Tahoe so whether you own a boat or rent one, you can anchor up off of hole 16, 17 or 18 to catch all the action.

* Watch the tournament from the comfort of your couch – Invite your friends over and fire up the barbeque so you can all enjoy the tournament from the comfort of your own home. NBC will televise the event live on Saturday, July 21 and Sunday, July 22 starting at 12:00 p.m. pacific time. After all, it’s so much easier to see where the ball landed when you watch on TV.

* Watch the tournament from high above – Granted, this won’t give you a great view of the action, and it may be hard to follow what’s going on, but if you head up to 19 Kitchen*Bar at Harvey’s you can enjoy great food and drink as well as stunning views of the lake. Oh, and a couple of the holes are visible from up there as well.

Do you know of any other spots that are good for catching some of the tournament? All of you that are in-the-know please share your top squat spots. See you on the links!